Where Are They Now? The Cast Of Glenroe 24 Years Later (2024)

The RTÉ series Glenroe started in 1983 and was a massive hit with viewers all around the country. It was the Sunday night drama the whole family curled up to watch after Where in the World? and its theme song marked the official end of the weekend.

It had started to wane in popularity by the time it left the airwaves in 2001 but it's still remembered fondly by most Irish people over the age of 35.

Following the sad news that Emmet Bergin, who played Dick Moran on the show, has died we've had a look back at the cast and what they went on to do following Glenroe.

Miley Byrne - Mick Lally

Perhaps the best-known of all the Glenroe characters was Miley 'Well, Holy God' Byrne. He was the heart and soul of the show and became synonymous with the character despite having a very successful stage career after the series ended.

He also appeared in several other TV series including Ros na Rún and Ballykissangel as well as films like Circle of Friends and Alexander. The beloved actor passed away in 2010 at the age of 64.

Biddy Byrne - Mary McEvoy

After playing the role of Miley's long-suffering wife Biddy in Glenroe, Mary went on to appear in numerous plays like Big Maggie, Sive, and The Field. She has also released an autobiography How The Light Gets In.

In 2019, Mary also showcased her new figure, losing four stone when she followed the LighterLife FlexiFasting Plan. The actress went from a size 18 down to a size 10.

Mary has also spoken openly about her battle with depression and in 2021 revealed she decided to return to counselling. Mary told RSVP: 'It just gives you a heck of a lot more understanding of your psyche and how the psyche works.'

Michelle Haughey- Isobel Mahon

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She was the blonde beauty behind the bar in the popular sitcom but the character Michelle Haughey was no fool. Played by Isobel Mahon, Michelle's character featured on the soap for 16 years and was prone to a few shocking storylines including getting pregnant by Dick's son and telling a handful of lies.

When the curtains came to a close on the show in 2001, Isobel turned her hand to writing and wrote six plays, such as Ideal Place and Party Face, which have been produced in Ireland, UK and US, including off-Broadway.

Still drawn to the world of soaps she joined Fair City but this time working behind the camera as a writer for three years.

In later years she became the Agony Aunt on The Today Show and writes early morning pieces for radio

She also trained as a psychotherapist, in her own private practice and published her first novel, Learning to Fly back in 2022.

Since the show ended the actress has certainly not wasted any time in trying new adventures and we are sure she will be dipping her toe in something else or seeing her back on the screen in no time!

Denise Byrne-Blathnaid Treacy

Blathnaid started her TV career at the tender age of three months old as Miley and Biddy's eldest daughter, Denise. She has since carved out a successful career as a presenter and hosts the National Lottery along with RTÉ 2FM's Official Chart Show (Fridays, 8-10pm). The TV personality can also be seen on RTÉ favourite, The Today Show, and has a radio presenting gig on 2FM.

In 2019 Blathnaid married her musician husband Charlie in an intimate wedding in Blessington, Wicklow, where both her parents walked her up the aisle. Blathnaid and Charlie are now parents to their baby girl, Nancy, who joined the family in 2023.

Dinny Byrne - Joe Lynch

The cast and crew of Glenroe were shocked by the sudden death of Joe Lynch after he became ill while on holiday in Spain. His role as patriarch Dinny was legendary and the show never fully recovered after his untimely departure.

A few months before his death, writer Wesley Burrows revealed that Joe had only got the part of Dinny at the last minute after a well-known Abbey actor withdrew because of illness.

Teasy Byrne - Maureen Toal

Maureen Toal was a prolific stage actress before she landed the role of landlady Teasy McDaid in Glenroe.

There was much rejoicing when her lovable character married the cantankerous Dinny Byrne in 1994 and she became Teasy Byrne! Maureen passed away in 2012, a few weeks before her 82nd birthday.

Dick Moran - Emmet Bergin

Silver fox Dick Moran aka Emmet Bergin was the 'housewives' favourite' from the Glenroe cast. Dashing, suave, and just a little bit sleazy, we wanted to hate him for his affair with Terry Killeen but couldn't help hoping that he'd reform his bad-boy ways and realise what a gem he had in Mary!

After the show ended, he went on to star in film and TV series including Veronica Guerin, The Clinic and Alarm, and the short movie Brief Encounter. Emmet passed away in March 2024 and is survived by his wife Sarah and his children, Gavan and Tara.

Mary McDermott Moran - Geraldine Plunkett

Mary McDermott Moran, played beautifully by Geraldine Plunkett, was the epitome of stiff-upper-lip class and elegance. Will we ever forget that scene where she confronted her husband's lover, Terry? Absolutely not... Chills...

Many years after the show, Geraldine is a significant contributor to the Irish arts and continues her work as an actress, and more recently played Rose on RTÉ's Fair City, a character who suffered with dementia.

The actress has also been nominated for the best-supporting actress in the Irish Times Theatre Awards for her role in The Afters.

George Manning - Alan Stanford

British actor Alan Stanford played the posh George Manning on Glenroe.

He went on to work with the Gate Theatre in Dublin as both an actor and director and has directed hit shows like Pride and Prejudice, Romeo & Juliet, Present Laughter, Jane Eyre, and The Importance of Being Earnest. Alan has also written a theatre critic.

Blackie Connors - Liam Heffernan

Blackie Connors was the resident traveller in Glenroe and was played by Liam Heffernan. Liam went on to play Luke Dillon in Fair City and also appeared in several films and TV series, includingRaw.

Liam also turned to music as the lead singer and a guitarist with Big Boy Foolish. The band's Twitter describes their sound as 'post punk geriatrics'.

Fidelma Kelly - Eunice McMenamin

Fidelma Kelly will always be known as the woman who tempted the faithful Miley over to the dark side for a (literal) roll in the hay. She was Biddy's niece and was married to the insipid Dr David Hanlon, played by Mario Rosenstock.

More recently, Eunice appeared in the hit RTÉ drama Dublin Murders where she played Alicia Rowan, the mother of a young Jamie Rowan who went missing and was found murdered as a child.

Eunice also went on to appear on stage and in various TV shows. She's also the director of KidKast in Castleknock, Co Dublin. In 2020, she told RSVP that a reunion of Glenroe would be 'bittersweet and emotional.'

Dr David Hanlon - Mario Rosenstock

Perhaps one of the most famous people to emerge from the rural soap is 52-year-old Mario Rosenstock - the gifted impersonator and genius behind Today FM's Gift Grub. Aside from his regular hilarious radio contributions, Mario embarked on his Very Best Of Gift Grub Live!.

He's been with his wife Blathnaid for more than a quarter of a century and they share children Dash and Bellamie.

Terry Killeen - Kate Thompson

Kate Thompson has spoken of how she received death threats for playing the scheming seductress Terry on Glenroe. Terry was Dick Moran's mistress and was undoubtedly the subject of many a water-cooler conversation around Ireland on a Monday morning!

After the show, she quit acting and has enjoyed a very successful career as an author - she now writes under pen name Kate Beaufoy.